The "re-opening of the Kingdome went off without a hitch,"
but some fans wished more had been done during the $40M repair
job on the facility. Seahawk fan Doug Hostetter: "I'm not
complaining, but for that much money, you'd think it would look a
lot better. It looks the same to me." The only "visible
difference was a beige ceiling that replaced the old-grayish
white one." Some fans wore hard hats to mark the event. Brian
Kasen, construction manager: "It's nice to see people back in the
seats after a very intense effort" (Jim Street, SEATTLE POST-
INTELLIEGNCER, 11/7).

The Redskins' stadium plans are in a "holding pattern." The
team can't go forward with their plans in Anne Arundel County,
MD, without reversing the county's previous decision on appeal,
and they have been "unable to make much headway on alternative
sites because many of the political leaders who must smooth the
way are immersed in elections." But after Tuesday's elections,
Redskins Owner Jack Kent Cook "could preside over a new
competition for his favor." Cooke's first choice is Laurel, MD,
but that hasn't prevented developers and leaders in MD, VA, and
DC from pushing other sites. The Redskins appeal in Laurel is
unlikely to be heard until January, but both sides are "trying to
influence the elections." Orioles Owner Peter Angelos, who
opposes a stadium in Laurel, has given a $15,000 loan at 6.6%
interest to Anne Arundel County Exec candidate Theodore
Sophocleus, who opposes public funding for the stadium.
Redskins zoning attorney Harry Blumenthal and his law practice
donated $1,000 to Sophocleus (Dan Beyers, WASHINGTON POST, 11/7).

The Spurs' season-opener "turned wet and wild when a high
pressure water cannon in the Alamodome erupted during the indoor
fireworks show, unleashing a torrent that soaked hundreds of fans
and delayed the game by 50 minutes." Red Cross officials
reported treating 31 fans who were injured during the accident.
Mike Abington, Director of the Alamodome, "blamed the
pyrotechnics for the disaster" that lasted about 4 minutes. "The
cannon gushed about 2,500 to 2,900 gallons per minute," drenching
some of the lower sections. Abington said the fireworks should
not have set off the cannon, as Spurs officials met with fire
personnel earlier in the day and "arranged to cap the smoke and
fire detectors in the roof." Most of the fans decided to stay
for the game, with only about 150 people asking for ticket
refunds (SAN ANTONIO NEWS EXPRESS, 11/7). CNN's Fred Hickman
said Friday's MCI Proof Positive Play of the Day goes to the
Spurs' "Marketing and Promotions guy down in San Antonio, who is
sitting in a room tonight trying to think up an explanation to
give his boss as to why those indoor fireworks" were necessary
("Sports Tonight," CNN, 11/4).

The Manitoba Entertainment Complex (MEC) has hired Dominion
Hunt as construction manager of a proposed new arena in Winnipeg.
The site is yet unchosen, but MEC spokesperson Cam Osler says the
timeline for the building is "so tight" that the design needs to
be ready if the project is approved. Dominion Hunt will "oversee
the design, budget and tendering of the building," including a
preliminary design and budget by mid-December. Osler wouldn't
reveal the amount of the Dominion Hunt contract but said that it
is "broken down into stages." The contract is being paid with
MEC-raised funds, rather than the $1.5M which the city recently
guaranteed for the arena (Kim Guttormson, WINNIPEG FREE PRESS,
11/5).